Back in 2023, Crown Prince Haakon offered a glimpse into how his family was approaching their roles within the institution. “I imagine that he’ll have to find his own way,” he said of his youngest son, Prince Sverre Magnus. “Ingrid will take over. Sverre Magnus will probably participate in something, but I don’t think he’ll have a full-time post. That’s not the plan. So he’ll have to find something he’s passionate about.” This is a common conundrum faced by second-born sons of royal families.
Three years later, what Haakon described as “not the plan” appears to have changed, with Sverre Magnus unexpectedly emerging as a meaningful presence within the institution.
Over the past several months, the 20-year-old prince has stepped out of the background and taken on a significant role in the royal family’s agenda. His growing involvement comes at a time when other members of the house are facing mounting challenges. King Harald, 89, remains head of state alongside Queen Sonja, who has experienced a series of cardiac episodes — including a pacemaker fitting in January 2025 and a hospitalization for shortness of breath later that same year. Crown Prince Haakon has been carrying out numerous engagements on his own. Princess Märtha Louise has had no official duties since November 2022, when she stepped back to focus on her personal ventures and her life. Crown Princess Mette-Marit has taken a reduced public role due to her pulmonary fibrosis diagnosis, with her position further complicated by her widely discussed past friendship with Jeffrey Epstein and the ongoing criminal proceedings involving her son, Marius Borg Høiby. Princess Ingrid Alexandra, the heir, is completing her education abroad.
An Unexpected Right-Hand Man
© Getty ImagesEven against the backdrop of a scaled-back monarchy, the Norwegian royal house is in need of working members, particularly as it weathers negative press coverage and declining public support. Through this turbulent period, the family appears to have placed its trust in Sverre Magnus, a figure who has gone from a relatively anonymous presence in counted family engagements to a visible representative of the third generation. Over the past months, he’s become an increasingly important asset for the Crown Prince and Crown Princess as they look toward the future and navigate uncharted waters.
Over the past year, Sverre has attended family events, solo engagements, and sporting events alongside his father. In April 2026, when Haakon and Sverre visited Startuplab, an early-stage technology investor based at Oslo’s Research Park, the company’s director was quick to single out the young prince. “It’s wonderful that the prince, who represents the next generation, is here today,” said Marie Mostad. “I’ll be the first to offer him an internship if he shows any interest.”
© Getty ImagesThis enthusiasm from the private sector reflects a broader question surrounding Sverre Magnus: how to build a personal and professional life while sustaining a meaningful role within the institution. In July 2025, he registered a sole proprietorship for a film and photography production company called Sverre Magnus Productions, which the palace confirmed was intended to help him “develop his skills in film and photography, and to learn more about running a business.”
The balance between personal enterprise and royal duty is one that has proven difficult for various royals in the past. Princess Märtha Louise’s attempt at that balance ultimately led her to exit her official role altogether, a cautionary example that now looms over Sverre Magnus’s own path. Whether he can chart a course of his own without repeating the missteps of the past and without losing his place in the institution remains to be seen.
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